Ars Vitae means the “art of living.” We believe that living is an art, and all art is meant to display the beautiful in a myriad of different and often unexpected ways. As the multitude of saints show, the church has always been about forming Christians that display the beauty of God through their particular life. The lives of these saints are works of art that are given both to the church and to the world. Ars Vitae Fellows accept the duty to follow the example of the saints and to create a beautiful life for the good of the church and the world by committing to two years of focused formation within a community.

Fellows are christians in their twenties and early thirties who commit to two years of formation within our community. The program includes living a common life of prayer, study, and feasting together. The work of prayer may be the most important part of our life together, as all fellows commit to living the prayerbook rule of life.

The work of study combines with the joy of feasting together twice a month as fellows gather for Symposium Nights. At these gatherings, the fellows contribute to a common meal and the community lingers over food, wine, and guided conversations. Symposium Nights are where the work of study is brought to bear within a community of growing friendship. These nights are where we gather to discuss the assigned readings for the month. Fellows discuss topics like philosophy, theology, culture, politics, and art.

Additionally, the study life of a fellow also includes taking three classes a year through Cranmer Theological House. These classes are hosted as weekend intensives that start on a Friday and go through Sunday. There is usually reading to be done before the class, and an assignment after.

In addition to these aspects of the program, the Ars Vitae Fellows Program is housed within Christ the King Anglican Church. The life of the parish is where the life of prayer primarily happens, as well as where there is a larger community to enjoy. On top of twice monthly intergenerational gatherings, called Cell Groups, there is also a thriving community of young adults that have formed their own gatherings called the Order of the Willow.

The fellows program is a “big ask” for any person. It requires a high commitment from fellows. It is not a small thing to commit two years to a fellows program, but we have found that many young adults want more out their christian life. They want to grow in prayer. They want to grow in understanding about what faithfulness means in our current historical moment. And they want spiritual direction in life. We think that the early years of adulthood is a strategic time where habits are formed and long term trajectories are set. So instead of lowering the bar due to the business of life, we want to raise it. We want to  invite young men and women in their young adult years to make a serious commitment and go deep with a community, through a shared life. If one makes this big commitment, we believe the fellows programs will have life long benefits.

Most of the “big ask” is the time commitment that is required to be devoted to prayer and study. However, there is also a financial commitment. The total cost of the 2-year program is $6,000 ($3,000 per year). This covers the tuition expenses for Cranmer Theological House, the costs associated with the pilgrimage, and all other program costs (common meals, etc.). There is a discount for married couples. ($5000 per year per couple; $10,000 total for the couple to take the whole two year program)

Someone seeking to form lifelong habits of prayer in community with others
Someone desiring mentorship, spiritual direction, and training for living well
Someone looking to discern a vocation either in ministry, singleness, or other occupational endeavors
Someone longing to embrace the life of the mind and who wants to think deeply about theology, philosophy, literature, and culture

Those who finish the Ars Vitae Fellows Program will have developed the habits of prayer, learned the distinctives of an Anglican way of life, and thought deeply about how to live well as a christian in the modern world. In addition to being equipped to live the art of life well, they will be ready to become dependable leaders within their church community. In other words, Ars Vitae Fellows not only learn to live the art of life well, but they become the kind of people who lead a whole parish to do so as well.

In January 2026, we will kick off a 6-month "pilot" of the Ars Vitae Fellows Program. This will cost $850. The pilot program will be the same as the full program, except the travel will be domestic instead of international. The 6-month pilot program will allow people to discern whether the full program is something they want to commit to. In July 2026, the pilot program will end and we start the full, two-year program that will run from July 2026 to July 2028.